Spam of renaming popular places / Using Google maps as advertising platform

[aashishvanand]

Hey LG's

In continuation of my previous post of hunting down popular spammer "Packers And Moϋers" in https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Feedback-and-Feature-Requests/Spam-of-renaming-popular-places-...

Earlier in 2017/2018, One Spammer was renaming most of the popular places in India and other places to "Packers And Moϋers" or "Agarwal Packers"

Now In 2019, Now of the brands have started using Google Maps as a local advertising platform such as

(https://goo.gl/maps/qhsu2UxH9Nm) - Advertising for Airtel Broadband (Internet Service)

(https://goo.gl/maps/RxvPuNY7F5u) - Advertising for Hathway Broadband (Internet Service)

Thanks, @OSAMA @DesikanJ @NareshDarji @LuisRG @JohnnyE @PaulPavlinovich @BruceDM @Osaka78forTRUMP @ErmesT @LucioV  for helping to fight spam in the previous post.  Similar to last time let's all come together and bring this type of spam notice to maps team.

Anyone who is willing to report such spam can follow this method.

Steps for reporting (Learnt from the last post)

Step 1: Find the place which you want to report it in Google map and click on "Suggest and edit"

Step 2: Under Suggest an edit Select Remove this place

Step 3: Under Reason for removal, Select Spam, fake or offensive

Step 4: Your Good to Go.

You can refer this https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Help-Desk/How-to-identify-and-report-fraud-on-Google-Maps/ba-p... post if you have any issues regarding reporting.

[VasT]

Hi @aashishvanand,

Thank you for reporting this. Are these companies non existent or are their activities fraudulent? 

Also, you can report a business on Google My Business help.

[aashishvanand]

@VasT To make the situation clear here, Airtel and Hathway are two valid companies. But the marketing/ salespersons who represent the company to create this fake paces. Whenever user searches or open Google Maps in that place this shows up. 

Take the case of (https://goo.gl/maps/qhsu2UxH9Nm) reported in the previous post. All the photos of that place are only banner advertisements. 

Similarly, Website takes you to some random website. and Appointment redirects you to a WhatsApp group invite. 

The highlight is that claims to be located inside the metro station. There is no such entity in the station.

There is one review for this place too and the person who has reviewed it has only two reviews so far and only for the same kind of spam

Its like they violate and exploit Google My Business.

[VasT]

@aashishvanand according to Google My Business under the section Add local business photos or videos or to Business-specific photos  there is not an exclusion for this kind of photos.

As for the review, if you would like to report a Local Guide please read the How to identify and report fraud on Google Maps topic.

Is the company non existent? If it is not located inside the metro you can suggest an edit on the Google Maps.

[aashishvanand]

@VasT  I am pretty sure its only spam. On further looking. The spam isn't restricted to Airtel Fibernet or Hathway which as mentioned in the first example It extends to most of the popular brands. The catch hers is place name has a mobile number. The same number is listed as several different businesses. 

Day 1: Spam Hunting in Chennai. I have reported approx 400 such places. Every place has such random names  "Hathway Fibernet (Call 9176OOOO81)-Hathway New Internet Connection in Chennai" or "Akshya in OMR-(Call-9176OOOO81) Flats-Apartments in Chennai-OMR Road" or "TATA SKY Chennai (Contact No-9884OOOO37) - New Plans in Chennai Online Booking" 

I would also invite other LG's and @PaulPavlinovich @ErmesT @YK1001 connect moderators to check for this pattern of spam in their area's. 

[Amiran]

I really appreciate such hard focusing to fight spams on Maps. This is kind of real mapping work not just being fan of map with photos and reviews. Hope Googlers pay enough attention to these like what they did for spams in CIS countries 

[YK1001]

People will always looking for ways to get benefit from any crowd source platforms.

When they open done it, they became Spammers.  Google Maps is the most popular crowd source platform, it attracted the most Spammers.

Flight for Spam requres lots of dedication.

For this, I need to thank you for your dedications and contributions for making Maps better for everyone, @aashishvanand .

Reporting of any Spamming Trends we notices here in Connect is the best thing we can do.  As we can bring it to our Googlers' attention for any Spamming activities that for whatever reason slip through all the safe guards that are in place to protect Maps.

Well done!

[Osaka78forTRUMP]

Great @aashishvanand, beautiful effort 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[deepakjhic]

Hello @aashishvanand ,

Great effort dear. I think this thread needs to move in appropriate section. I can tag a connect modearator @Shirley here to move is in appropriate section.

Cheers

[Neminath]

@aashishvanand I really appreciate your hard work. Great work!!!